ASAP is mobilizing its network to produce a series of expert policy papers on migration.
In September 2016 there was a High-level Summit Addressing Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants. It brought States together to discuss how the global community should be responding to the larger numbers of people moving in the world. The impetus for this meeting was largely the increased movements into Europe from the Middle East region, but the meeting itself was intended to have a global focus.
After much negotiation the outcome document from the meeting, called the New York Declaration, includes two annexes. These annexes call for the development of a \’comprehensive refugee response framework\’ and \’a global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration\’ respectively. In reference to the second of these, some have referred to this period as echoing something of the 1940s and early 1950s in terms of the scope to produce new global norms for migration. Others see this as an over-dramaticisation, given there already is a substantial set of governance frameworks for international migration. Either way, now is an important time for global migration governance and it is important to get it right.
The timeline for the creation of the Compact on Migration is tight. Negotiations are underway now and the Annex requires that the new Compact be launched at a conference in 2018. The Global Forum on Migration and Development is in Berlin in June 2017.
So what can global academia do to help? One thing that we have been told would be useful is the production of a series of working papers on key topics of negotiation within Annex II of the New York Declaration, presenting the current state of thinking in each area to ensure that progress to this point is not overlooked. We are planning to produce a series of (maximum) 20 academic policy briefs (about 3,000-4,000 words) examining the current situation and are looking for people to join the team.
ASAP is looking for contributions from lawyers, economists, political scientists, but others too. Tell us what you can contribute and we’ll see if it can fit. We will include a maximum of 20 papers and will be selecting based on your proven level of expertise, on ensuring that we can cover a broad range of the important topics for consideration, and on ensuring that the contribution will be useful for the discussion process.
Rather than list the topics to be covered, we invite you to formulate a topic from Annex II of the New York Declaration which you think should be addressed.
Roles:
- Expert writers: You need to have demonstrable expertise in the area about which you propose to write. You will have already published on this topic. You will be required to help us to stick to the timeline below. Please also let us know if you would be interested in reviewing in addition to producing your piece.
- Expert reviewers: The reports will undergo a blind peer review process. To be a reviewer you need to have demonstrable expertise in the area about which you propose to write. You will have already published on this topic. You will be required to help us to stick to the timeline below.
- Copyeditors: We are looking for two experienced copyeditors who will both be able to read all of the reports (see list above). You need to have experience copyediting work of this nature.
Timeline & Deadlines
- Submit your proposal as soon as possible. Acceptance will be on a rolling basis.
- You will need to submit the complete report by 31 March (earlier if possible)
- It will be reviewed in April; this will also be the time for revisions.
- In May, the reports will be copyedited and formatted for publication.